India is blessed and endowed with geomorphology and natural resources that make it ideal to produce energy from non-fossil fuel-based resources such as hydro, solar, wind and renewable fossil-based sources like biomass.

Summary

India’s ambitions of reducing the intensity of the GDP emissions by 45% and achieving 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources, go beyond mitigating climate change-related issues. These ambitions define India’s vision for the people and economic growth of the country by reducing the import of fossil fuels and raw materials such as silicon wafers used in solar panels. While the technology for energy production from non-fossil fuel-based resources is mature and operational, some of the problems and challenges faced by the industry are: lack of technology/incentives/investment for production of components/final products, offtake of energy, pricing policies, distribution, and most importantly storage. With respect to renewable- fossil fuels, sources like water and biomass, the technology to produce bioenergy such as hydrogen and Bio-CNG/LNG is yet to reach TRL 8.

Vision

By 2035, liaise with academic and R&D institutions, start-ups, industries (public and private) and government to meet 10% of India’s energy basket from economically viable bioenergy production, supply chain management and offtake.

Description

The vision of transforming India through meeting energy needs from green sources requires informed planning that highlights the TRL of various technologies, roadmap for production of renewable energy units, distribution network for different fuels/energy, storage technologies and most importantly harnessing maximum potential of various natural resources (land, water, biomass, wind, and solar). The aim of the Green Energy program is to weave together India’s various commitments such as: “Panchamrit” culminating in carbon neutrality, promoting Lifestyles for Environment (L.I.F.E.), zero budget natural farming, increasing (doubling) farmers income, water and energy security of the people and using them to formulate a plan for Sustainable Development. Thisprogram will identify, promote and pilot renewable non- / fossil-based energy systems that use agrivoltics, floativoltics, hydro-storage techniques, increasing water resources and biomass on degraded lands.

Impact

• Draft a National Biomass Policy highlighting the competitive demands for biomass, need and strategy to increase availability of biomass, and linkages with not only other schemes of the government but also with various stakeholders such as citizens, farmers, industries and R&D / academic institutions.
• Develop a strategy and demonstrate the production, supply chain and offtake of renewable non- / fossil-based energy systems such as agrivoltaics, floatovoltaics and hydro-storage techniques.
• Create a conducive environment such as valleys/clusters for green bio-fuels such as hydrogen, CNG and LNG by garnering support from a consortium of R&D/Academic institutions, start-ups and industries.
• Pilot and scale up the technologies for green energy.